Lila Connect Failed Location Check GeoLocation Issue

[rh7099]

After suffering with the same issue and getting nowhere by phone with Sky I was contacted by Lila today as I had asked them to set up a Public IP address for me. This was set up but nothing changed. Unfortunately the only Public IP addresses thay have available are in the same range as the CGNAT addresses. 216.205.... That means there is currently no solution to the issue unless Sky make changes.

I tried to email Sky Customer Support but received an automatic response pointing back to their support pages and telephone contact numbers - no use at all.

I have therefore written to them using snail mail, but am not holding my breath.

I don't beleive it is a Lila issue specifically as the solution to the shortage of IP4 addresses is to use CGNAT. It doesn't sound like a complex change for Sky to make. Perhaps they are upset as we are moving away from their FTTC broadband

[rscott]

Have you tried using iPlayer, ITVx or All4 on your TV? If they give similar geolocation errors, that would suggest Lila are to blame.

[slimpo57]

Watched Glastonbury on iPlayer all weekend without a hitch.

my missus watched the soaps in the week on catch up services. 

[rh7099]

Hi

Yes, they all work. In fact, I was watching on All4 when your reply came through.

[adzyp]

Yeah the first thing i did was try other apps that check geolocation and they were all fine through the sky box aswell

[slimpo57]

Funnily enough Sky Cinema works without issue. They've obviously only updated some services and not all 🙄 

[adzyp]

So ipstack is now showing my IP as being in the UK. The same one said Sweden earlier, but still have the issue with sky

[adzyp]

Just had this from lila:

If you speak with Sky, they should be able to restart the viewing card by sending a signal to the unit, which should then cause the IP subnet mask to update and locate properly in the UK, as per the information we submitted to whitelisting bodies over 4 months ago.

The reason this has appeared on other third-party platforms is because once one platform recognises the geolocation of your IP address, this can then propagate across other apps and platforms you use. Fixing the issue with Sky and then re-accessing these sites and apps should resolve the issue.

Please do speak with Sky regarding the above fix and come back to us if you need anything further.

[rh7099]

Thanks for the update. I have also been contacted by Lila who have suggested this to me, however I am not able to test at the moment as the process of Lila switching me to Public IP (same 216 range and issue) and back to CGNAT changed my IP to the 45.81 range, which works. It would be interesting to know if anyone else has managed to get Sky to try the new fix, and if it works.

I have had a reply from my email to Sky who suggest it is a VPN problem - I don't use VPN. They have chosen to ignore the information regarding the Geo Location servers. I they don't believe it is a Gep Location server issue, they should at least say so. There alternative solution is to cancel Sky TV. So much for being a 20 + year VIP customer.

[slimpo57]

I tried this with Sky on Saturday, didn't work. Please let me know if you get any better luck with it. 

[lettice]

I've asked Sky to have a look at this problem in our closed section for this community that us Superusers use.

Sky  are now aware of the issue.

If we as SUs here any more, we will post here.

Nothing more to suggest at the moment, than you have done already.

But, keep this thread up to date, with any progress.

[adzyp]

Ok so all seems to be working ok at the moment under the same ip. Not sure if it was the viewing card/box refresh or something wider has been fixed

[rh7099]

I have had a complaint open with Sky about this issue for a couple of months now. On 9th July I had an email from the Executive Support Team that stated, "the issues you are experiencing are being dealt with by our backoffice teams and hope for a fix sooner rather than later".

 Yesterday I received a call from Sky who told me that "that the issue is NOT one of geolocation, but is down to the use of CGNAT. According to them, if 2 of their customers connect with the same address, then it will be seen as an attack on their network. They also stated that if I had a fixed public address I wouldn't have the problem."

 I find it difficult to accept this for a number of reasons:

CGNAT was specifically designed to be used by carriers to overcome the shortage of IPv4 addresses. Lila is not the only ISP using CGNAT and the issue with Sky does not appear to be widespread. Unless the IPv6 take-up increases, more and more ISPs will need to change to CGNAT.

The mobile phone network uses CGNAT. I don’t have an issue downloading from Sky using the phone.

The error message when the problem manifests itself is "location error". Surely an attack would show a different error.

When my IP address is in the 216.205. range I get the error. When in the 45.81. range I have NEVER had the error. This address is also CGNAT. Am I the only Sky customer using this address?

When Lila temporarily transferred me to a fixed public address, (which was in the same 216.205 range, I still had the issue.

I asked Sky to put this in writing, but they refused and closed my complaint.

I contacted Lila and their response (in writing) was:

I can confirm that this isn’t the case and unfortunately, the information they have given to you is incorrect. The issue is not caused by having a CGNAT service, it is a GEO location issue at their end; they need to update their GEO location service and this should resolve the problem you are experiencing.

Now, if Sky are correct in what they are telling me, then surely both they, and ISPs that use CGNAT, should inform potential customers of either service that the systems are incompatible.

I also wonder whether this issue would prevent me from using Sky Glass. When asking Sky they just reply that they are not technical so cannot answer. I therefore asked to speak to someone technical, but this is not allowed. They have that sewn up nicely don’t they?

Wouldn’t it be nice id Sky and Lila would talk to eachother?